The Second Faction

This Daoist charm is fake; it was deliberately given to him by the Chanzhi Zhi, who had ulterior motives.

Li Qi actually felt that the probability of this was not high.

It's unlikely.

If Chanzhi Zhi really had a way to directly eliminate demonic thoughts, even if it was just a temporary suppression shown to himself, his situation wouldn't be this bad.

Therefore, Li Qi temporarily ruled out this possibility.

So, what if this thing really was given by the Mara of Self-Transformation?

Just thinking about this possibility made Li Qi tremble and his heart pound.

The Mara of Self-Transformation initiative, and he couldn't throw them away.

If this is true, then Li Qi feels he has been sentenced to death.

But it's probably also unlikely.

What merit or ability does Li Qi possess to deserve receiving gifts from a powerful figure of the first rank? Moreover, this powerful figure must carefully control his power to avoid blowing himself up.

Li Qi didn't think his face was that big.

So what if it's something else? For example, what if you didn't encounter the Mara of Self-Transformation, but some other unknown being?

But it was clear that he had come into contact with that terrifying being through demonic thoughts.

Moreover, the other party also has a great ability to suppress these low-level demons and demonic thoughts, even a seventh-grade Chanzhi cannot achieve this kind of suppression.

Difficult to understand.

Li Qi thought about it for a long time, but he couldn't figure it out, so he simply gave up thinking about it.

That Daoist aura must be suppressed and must never be used. Don't even look at it, and it's best not to even think about it!

Just pretend he doesn't exist.

Since it was just an unexpected gain, Li Qi will definitely find a way to figure it out once this matter is over.

Unfortunately, the teacher didn't give Li Qi his contact information, only assigned him the task, adopting a hands-off approach.

If Young Master Zhu had told him how to contact him, Li Qi would definitely have already called for help.

He could endure being beaten by a seventh-rank official without calling for help, and would find a way to resolve the situation himself.

But this mysterious Daoist aura truly frightened him.

But...

There must be other ways.

For example, the person who shakes the rock.

Another day has passed.

Li Qi's main body suppressed that Heavenly Demonic Dao Charm, then took a proper break and went to sleep.

In reality, he was only pretending to sleep; as long as he was still awake, his consciousness could not rest.

I've been working overtime these past few days.

Meanwhile, Li Qi, distracted by his own thoughts, spent the entire day searching for another seventh-rank official in Guangyang City.

One of the Three Offices, Guangyang Prefect.

The only remaining usable local forces in Guangyang City.

Now that Li Qi is ready to stop pretending and lay his cards on the table, the young master's identity must be put to use. Of course, none of the local forces can be let go; they all must be mobilized.

The Sikong was in charge of matters related to water and wood, and was responsible for water conservancy and civil engineering. It was a very important official position.

Urban planning and construction, the flow of mountains and rivers, and so on, all fall within his purview.

At this moment, Li Qi was inside an underground water control array outside Guangyang City.

This grand formation is located 400 li west of Guangyang City, connecting mountains and rivers within a radius of 4,000 li. It can help regulate the mountain and water energy, ensuring favorable weather for Guangyang.

There are three such large formations in Guangyang, which can basically cover more than 80% of the area.

Li Qi stood there, looking around.

This place is located ten miles underground. If it weren't for Wang Baiyan's help, he would never have found this place, even if he searched to death.

The surrounding area was a cave, completely dark and nothing could be seen, but the hollow sounds seemed even more distant and far-reaching than those on the ground. In the dim darkness, there were stalactites and columns hanging down in the passageway, with a few faint lights. The cave was adorned with silk and beaded decorations of very strange and wonderful shapes. All sorts of strange and wonderful things were in front of me, and I was overwhelmed by them.

A gust of wind howled and whistled through the hollow.

In this very place, Guangyang Prefect, a powerful seventh-rank official, stood trembling before Li Qi.

As soon as Li Qi arrived, the other party sensed his approach and rushed over quickly.

After Li Qi displayed his Great Shaman charisma, he adopted his current attitude.

"Lord Sikong, you are a dignified seventh-rank official, how could you have come to this?" Li Qi sighed and shook his head, "In this dark and gloomy room, hiding here, were you truly driven to the brink of despair?"

Guangyang Prefect hurriedly bowed. "The Chanzhi is too wicked, and I really can't resist him. Two of my colleagues are dead and have fled. I cultivate the Reason Way and am not good at fighting. I have no choice but to hide here and save my life!"

Yes, that's how it is.

This dignified seventh-rank master has been forced into this state by Chanzhi. He is now hiding underground, fearing that if he reveals himself, Chanzhi will devour his heart and turn him into a puppet.

However, Li Qi could understand.

This wicked monk, Chanzhi, is indeed terrifying.

Looking at it this way, it turns out he wasn't fighting two against one, but three against one!

Simultaneously, they fought against the Sima, Sikong, and Taishou of Guangyang, and then one of them died and the other two fled.

Chanzhi Zhi fought in a very bad state, because he was possessed by demonic thoughts and came to Baiyue in order to find a way to balance.

The difference is terrifying.

It's almost like the difference between Li Qi and an ordinary ninth-rank official.

"Then Sikong doesn't need to hide like this anymore. I've come here to deal with Chanzhi." Li Qi quickly stepped forward and helped up the strongest person he could gather at the moment.

Helped up by Li Qi, the Guangyang Prefect quickly said, "Young Master has arrived, which shows that your heart is bright! I feel that even in a dark room there is a clear sky. Guangyang will surely have the power of gods and spirits, and the sun and moon will shine brightly in the sky, illuminating the whole world! The calamity of the evil monk will finally be resolved!"

He looked like he was about to cry when he said this, his face showing the expression of "the righteous official has arrived."

Li Qi frowned as he looked at him, but said nothing. Instead, he pulled him to sit down in the cave and said, "There's no need to talk about this. Otherwise, why would I have come all this way? It's just that I'm new here and there are many things I don't understand yet. I need Sikong's help!"

Sikong said repeatedly, "Since you have come in person, I will do my utmost to assist you. I will speak frankly and without reservation. Wherever you command, I will serve you like a dog or a horse! But may I ask, why did you come alone? Are all your attendants waiting outside?"

Li Qi smiled and shook his head, "Sikong has misunderstood. I came alone this time, without any attendants."

Upon hearing this, Guangyang Prefect's face turned deathly pale!

His legs trembled violently, and all the courage he had mustered and the promises he had made were thrown to the back of his mind. He immediately felt the urge to leave.

Is this young master an idiot?! Without any attendants, what can a mere ninth-rank official like him do? Does he expect me to fight the Guangyang demon monk to the death?!

Doesn't he know how big the gap is?

On the other side, Li Qi didn't even need to look closely; a single glance was enough to know what the person was thinking.

There's no other reason than that the Guangyang Prefect had already begun to move backward.

Li Qi sighed. No wonder the situation in Guangyang had deteriorated to this extent.

If the chief officials of the three departments of a prefecture are all like this, and the upper beam is so crooked, how far will the lower beam go?

Therefore, Li Qi said with a sinister smile, "Lord Sikong, you're not thinking of running away, are you?"

Sikong had originally intended to slip away, but after Li Qi's words, he froze and awkwardly remained where he was.

But he couldn't bring himself to say he would stay, so he just stayed where he was, frozen in place.

Li Qi put on a stern face. "Lord Sikong, don't you feel a bit aggrieved right now? A dignified seventh-rank official, hiding underground like a centipede or worm, cowering and shrugging, only seeking a night's rest. Is this how you cultivated your seventh rank?"

Guangyang Prefect, however, did not take it to heart.

Struggling to survive is human nature. Has this young master of Wushen Mountain gone mad from cultivating Daoism? Is it only good if he fights desperately?

However, he was timid and dared not refute Li Qi to his face. He immediately bowed, nodded obsequiously, and agreed with everything.

However, Li Qi also knew what he was thinking, so his previous statement was just the beginning.

With a wave of his hand, he saw the earth and stones mold themselves into tables and chairs. Li Qi pulled the Guangyang Prefect to sit down. "Minister of Works, do you know why I came to find you?"

Sikong immediately replied, "This humble official does not know."

However, he secretly thought to himself, "This guy just said he wanted my help, he just wants me to die for him because he's after my cultivation level. It's not that simple."

He was hiding here to save his life. This young master came to find him without any attendants. What else could he be doing but sending him to confront the Chanzhi?

"If you don't know, then I will tell you in detail. Lord Sikong, do you really think that Chanzhi doesn't know you are hiding here?" Li Qi continued to ask Guangyang Prefect.

He didn't intend to use his reputation to coerce this seventh-rank official. Although the other party was cowardly, he would bite when cornered. If he really wanted to force the other party to his death, Li Qi bet that the other party would definitely kill him first and then flee to the ends of the earth.

Whether he can escape successfully or not, Li Qi himself is definitely going to die.

To deal with Wang Baiyan, you can lure him with promises of a bright future, but for this kind of person, neither financial incentives nor coercion will work. You have to find another way.

Therefore, Li Qi had already prepared another set of words.

"He certainly doesn't know that the great formation here has the effect of concealing my aura and can regulate the mountain and water veins to shield me. Besides, even if he discovers it, this place also has a protective function. If I hold this position, he definitely won't be able to break in for at least two or three years. By then, the king will definitely have freed up his hands! The danger here will naturally be resolved."

At this point, Guangyang Prefect immediately suggested, "If you have a conflict with Chanzhi, why don't you stay here as well? I will definitely protect you!"

"A son of a wealthy family should not sit under a dangerous roof. It is safer for you to stay here with me. You can also call upon your attendants to try and get us out of trouble as soon as possible!"

Well, before Li Qi could even begin to persuade him, he started persuading Li Qi instead.

"Wait, does the Grand Commandant know why I came here without any attendants?" Li Qi interrupted the Guangyang Prefect and asked.

"I do not know," he said.

Guangyang Prefect was indeed puzzled as to why this young master would come looking for death.

This is clearly unreasonable. As long as Young Master Wushen Mountain proceeds step by step, he can easily become the protagonist of this world and become the favored son of heaven that everyone admires.

Why take such a big risk here?

Therefore, Li Qi immediately stood with his hands behind his back and raised his head. "I have seen this opportunity!"

Li Qi's voice rose with fervor. "I am a prodigy! I possess unparalleled heroic bearing and profound strategic vision. Now that Guangyang is in disarray, is this not my chance to fight with my sword? If I, with my lowly rank of ninth grade, were to revitalize Guangyang and pacify the evil monks, cleanse the hundred forests and quell the demon's lair, what would I do?"

"It is our duty to turn the tide! With a roar, the heavens will shatter! That demonic monk is the perfect target for me to test my skills. His head is already in my grasp; how can I entrust it to my henchmen?!"

Li Qi's imposing and majestic appearance is incredibly bold at first glance.

However, Guangyang Prefect merely pursed his lips.

Do these privileged kids really think everyone's a fool? If they're so capable, why don't they go fight a seventh-rank enemy themselves? Why come looking for him?

He greatly admired the ambition of the brilliant minds, but as a sparrow, he couldn't be bothered to pay attention to the lofty aspirations of the swans.

It really has nothing to do with him.

Li Qi was well aware of his mindset and did not expect to persuade him through this.

So, after explaining his purpose, Li Qi sat down again. "Since you know my purpose, I will continue."

"I have investigated the background of that Chanzhi. He is a disciple of Black Heaven Tian under Dakini Heaven. As you know, he is a notorious demon monk. It is not surprising that he could do such a thing."

"However, his cultivation went terribly wrong. Demonic thoughts entered his body, causing an imbalance between Buddhism and demonic forces. Although he was not in danger of dying, he could easily make a wrong step and fall into the demonic path, thus ruining his Dao Path and making no progress whatsoever."

"So, you know his condition now, right?" Li Qi glanced sideways at Guangyang Prefect.

Without waiting for Sikong's reply, he immediately continued speaking, like a barrage of bullets.

"So, you really think he doesn't know where you're hiding? You think there's no news of the escaped governor? You really think this place can stop him?"

"You're still alive, lying here underground, simply because he doesn't have the energy to deal with you."

Li Qi spoke in a calm tone, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

But it was this very tone that made Guangyang Prefect frown and feel a jolt in his heart.

"Is what you say true, young master?"

He had never heard of the monk before, and upon hearing it now, he was filled with fear and anxiety.

Li Qi smiled and replied, "This young master does not intend to rely on the power of any attendants. He has come to Guangyang alone to start from scratch and eliminate the seventh-rank demon monk. This is a test for this young master. Do you think I am someone who has come here to seek death?"

Guangyang Prefect frowned, but dared not say anything more.

Because he knew the nature of these prodigies.

They claimed it was a trial for themselves, but in reality, they certainly carried more than one life-saving item. If we were to become their lackeys and act as their vanguard, we might get a little food, but if our master needed us, we would die.

Following Tianjiao will surely lead to certain death.

However, at this moment, Li Qi stood up and said, "Alright, that's all I have to say. I have other things to do. Since you have made your decision, I'll take my leave."

Li Qi turned around, preparing to leave.

Sikong was still considering when he heard this, and quickly reached out his hand. "Young master, please wait!"

But Li Qi did not stay; instead, he ignored the warnings and strode away.

Wang Baiyan was waiting outside.